smith



J. w. SMITH.

EXPLOSIVE AND INCENDIARY DEVICE. APPLICAHON nus'n NOV-21.19IB.

1 ,32 1 56 3 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI' I.

1-. w. SMITH. V EXPLOSIVE AND INCENDIARY DEVICE.

APPLICAIIUN FILED NOV- 21 l9l8.'

1,321,563 Patented N0v.11,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

- Y STATES PA E T F I I JOHN W. SMITH, F NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

' nxrLosIvE INCENDIABY. nnvrcn.

.To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, JOHN -WESLEY SMITH,- a citizen 'of the United States, residing at Newport News, in'the countyv of Warw1ck and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exploslve and Incendiary Devices; and Ido hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to explosive or in-.

*cendiary devices, and has for one of its ob,- jects the provision of a device of this character especially adaptable for front l1ne trenches so that liquid fire or flames can be produced when the enemy attacks, thus making a barrage that will be impossible to pass through or penetrate.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a plurality of receptacles containing explosives and supplied with highly inflammable fluid adapted to be covered orconcealed on the ground so that the explosive can be set off igniting the fluid and destroying the receptacles so that the fire will set up a barrage when the enemy is directly overthe same or in advance thereofdepending on the desire of the army being attacked.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means for extin uishing the fire at, the will of the army bemg attacked 'so that a counter-attack can be launched whenever desired.

A stillf'further object of this invention is the provision of an explosive and incendiary devlce of the above stated character which shall be simple, durable and eflicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in View as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying draw-, ings, in which fully described and Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of an explosive and incendiary device constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a slde elevation of the same,

the units of myinvention, and when placing the device in use, any number of units may be placed in a continuous line to establish a front line defense. The unit 1 consists of -a plurality of receptacles 2, preferably of cylindrical formation and are adapted'to be buried in close proximity to each other and upon their sides within the ground and covered by a thin layer of dirt so as to conceal the samefrom View, however, any other covering, such as brush, weeds and the like may be employed. The receptacles 2 are provided with heads 3 which are connected to pipesfl, The pipes 4' are connected to a supply pipe 5 that extends 'along the line formed by the receptacles and has connected thereto a pipe 6. This pipe 6- is adapted to extend a considerable distance in rear of the front line defense formed bythe receptacles of my invention and is connected with a pump -7 of any desired character, and operated in any well known manner. The pump isconnected to a pipe 8 which is in turn connected to pipes 9 and 10 by the coupling 12. The pipe 10 has connection with a gasolene or other highly inflammable fluid tank 11 and which fluid is controlled through the pipe 10 by means of a valve 12. Thus it will be seen that upon opening the valve12, gasolene or other highly inflammable fluid is permitted to enter the various receptacles 4 under the influence of the pump 7. The pipe 9 is connected to a water reservoir 13 which water or fluid is controlled by a valve 14 so that water may be permitted to pass the device after once being set in o eration.

Each of the receptacles 2 are divided into compartments 14 and 15 by a partition 16. Thecompartment 14 is adapted toform a fluid compartment, while the compartment Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 11, 1919. Application filed November 21, 918. Serial a... 263,542.

through the supply pipe 5 and branch pipe 4 when desiring to extinguish the flames of 15 is filled with powder or other explosive so that upon ignition of the same the receptacles will be; destroyed or partially so permit-ting the inflammable fluid to escape therefrom after being ignited by the explosive, thus creating a barrage. The head of the receptacle is provided with an elllptlcal man 'opening' 17 adapted to be closed by a correspondingly shaped cover 18. The wall of the opening 17 is beveled while the edges of the cover 18 are beveled accordingly so that it is necessary that the cover be inserted within the receptacle 2 endwise and then turned to close the elliptical Opening. A pivoted cleat 19 is carried by the cover 18 for retaining the same within the man hole 17. Spaced electrodes 20 are positioned Within the chamber 15 of the receptacle 2 and have connected thereto conductors 21, which conductors extend into pipes 22 leading to a switch 23 located in close proximity to the reservoirs 11 and 13.

The conductors are also adapted to be connected to an electrical source of any desired character so that upon closing the switches, aspark will be produced between the electrodes igniting the explosive within the receptacles causing them to be destroyed and also igniting the fluid contained therein. As the receptacles are destroyed by the explosion, the fluid passing outwardly of the pipes 4: will become ignited continuing the line of barrage. When it is desired to extinguish the flames rapidly, the fluid from the reservoir 11 is cut off and the Water is permitted to pass from the reservoir 13 through the various pipes into the branch pipes 4 thereby putting out the flames so as to permit a counter-attack to be launched immediately after repulsing the enemys attack by the front line defense.

Whilel have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination, and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 7

What I claim is 1. A device of the character set forth comprising a plurality of receptacles adapted to be concealed and'each divided into a pair of compartments, explosives within one of said compartments, inflammable fluid withln the other compartment,

means connecting together the receptacles and supplying them with fluid, and means igniting the explosives to destroy the receptacles and simultaneously ignite the fluid.

2. A device of the character set forth comprising a plurality of receptacles adapted to be concealed, means dividing each receptacle into a pair of compartments, explosives in one of the compartments, a liquid fuel supply connected to the other compartment, means connectin the receptacles together and supplyin uid thereto, and electrical means for exp loding the explosive to destroy the receptacles and simultaneously ignite the fluid. v

3. A device of the character set forth comprising a plurality of receptacles, explosives in said receptacles, an inflammable liquid source connected to said receptacles, and connecting said rece tacles together, means controlling the in ammable liquid from said source, electrical means connected with the receptacles for discharging the explosives and simultaneously igniting the inflammable fluid, and means whereby water may be discharged through the first named means for extinguishing the-flames.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SMITH. Witnesses;

WM. WARD PRICKETT, L. A. FOWLKES. 

